99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB3118
 
Introduced 2/19/2016, by Sen. Pat McGuire
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:



New Act

 Creates the Tuition Reduction Act. Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, requires each public university located in this State to reimburse its full-time resident undergraduate students a portion of the tuition charged in the form of a grant applied directly to a student's financial aid account. Provides that to determine the per-pupil grant amount, the university shall calculate the difference, if any, between the current fiscal year's aggregate appropriations to the university and the previous fiscal year's aggregate appropriations to the university and divide that amount by the number of students enrolled in the previous academic year. Provides that 50% of this calculation then equals the per-pupil grant amount, to be awarded to currently enrolled students to reduce their tuition costs (unless the current fiscal year's aggregate appropriations to the university are equal to or less than the previous fiscal year's aggregate appropriations). Requires each university to annually report updated estimates of the total amount in grants awarded in an academic year to the Governor and the appropriate committees of the General Assembly. Effective immediately.



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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
 
 
A BILL FOR
 


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1 AN ACT concerning education.


2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

3represented in the General Assembly:



4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5Tuition Reduction Act.

6 Section 5. Legislative intent.
7 (a) The General Assembly recognizes that this State's 
8higher education system plays a critical role in ensuring this 
9State's continued leadership role in driving economic 
10prosperity, innovation, and opportunity. By educating citizens 
11for living wage jobs, producing world-class research, and 
12helping to create vibrant communities, this State's 
13institutions of higher education form a foundational component 
14in ensuring prosperity for our citizens.
15 (b) The General Assembly also recognizes the importance of 
16prioritizing scarce resources for the core, front-line 
17services that higher education institutions provide, namely 
18instruction, research, and robust financial aid. During times 
19of economic downturn, policymakers must focus on those areas of 
20public service that have the most direct and immediate impact 
21on students. Keeping class sections open, attracting the best 
22professors and instructors, providing comprehensive support 
23services, and offering meaningful financial help to offset the 
 
 
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1costs of attending college must be the main concerns of 
2policymakers. It is for these reasons that the General Assembly 
3intends to refocus its commitment to direct aid to students and 
4continue efforts to make college more affordable.


5 Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
6 "Student" means a full-time resident undergraduate student 
7enrolled at a university.
8 "University" means a public university located in this 
9State.

10 Section 15. Tuition grants.

11 (a) Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, each 
12university must reimburse a portion of the tuition charged to 
13students as provided in this subsection (a). Reimbursement 
14shall be in the form of a grant applied directly to a student's 
15financial aid account. To determine the per-pupil grant amount, 
16the university shall calculate the difference, if any, between 
17the current fiscal year's aggregate appropriations to the 
18university and the previous fiscal year's aggregate 
19appropriations to the university and divide that amount by the 
20number of students enrolled in the previous academic year. 
21Fifty percent of this calculation then equals the per-pupil 
22grant amount, to be awarded to currently enrolled students to 
23reduce their tuition costs. However, if the current fiscal 
24year's aggregate appropriations to the university are equal to 
 
 
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1or less than the previous fiscal year's aggregate 
2appropriations, then the university is not required to award 
3any grants under this subsection (a) in a given academic year.
4 (b) On or before September 1, 2017 and on or before 
5September 1 each year thereafter, each university shall report 
6updated estimates of the total amount in grants awarded under 
7subsection (a) of this Section in an academic year to the 
8Governor and the appropriate committees of the General 
9Assembly.



10 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
11becoming law.